A BEACH patrol lifesaver has been praised after rescuing a tourist who could not swim after they were knocked into the sea and started to drown.

Disaster nearly struck as the holidaymaker was walking along a groyne at Clacton’s West Beach on Sunday afternoon.

The man was suddenly knocked into the sea as a large wave swept over the groyne.

Clacton beach patrol member Ryan Clay had spotted the man walking on the breakwater while on duty at the Lower Promenade.

He was on his way to tell the man it was unsafe when the wave hit.

Ryan said: “The wave took him clean off his feet and by the time I got along the breakwater I could just see his hand sticking up.

“I dived in and swam to him and he grabbed me.

“He was panicking and nearly pulled me down with him but I managed to get him off me and bring him in to the shoreline.”

They were met in the water by fellow beach patrol members Scott Lawrence and Aaron Forsyth who helped drag him to the beach.

Scott said: “If Ryan hadn’t got to him when he did, he would most likely have drowned.

“There are very strong currents around the breakwaters which is why we try to stop people going on there.”

The man was aged in his late 20s or early 30s and could not swim.

He was left shaken but unhurt by the incident, but was advised to head to the minor injuries unit in Clacton to be checked out for secondary drowning.

The beach patrol is run by Tendring Council.

Cabinet member Lynda McWilliams praised Ryan’s lifesaving heroics.

“Our Beach Patrol Team do a fantastic job in helping to keep people safe on the beach and Ryan risked his own life to save this man,” she said.

“He could so easily have been pulled down under the water as the man panicked and it could have been a double tragedy.”